Tears of joy at Dublin Airport greet returning expat wanderers

Irish expatriates spur family tears of joy when they return to the home country for Christmas.

Over the weekend, Dublin Airport’s arrivals hall saw tears of joy from families awaiting the return of their expat loved ones for the Christmas holiday. Over the holiday season, the airport is a reuniting hub for long-stay expats and their families and friends in the home country. Returnees were greeted by a choir singing everyone’s favourite Christmas carols, and families waited to greet their loved ones waved welcome flags as they waited and dropped them to rush to greet the new arrivals.

One large Dublin-based family boasts two expat family hubs in Australia, with members from both all heading for Dublin for a massive celebration. At the same time, two more brothers are arriving from Dubai and Canada after the European branch of the extended family finally arrives. As a result, the entire family will be together this Christmas for the first time in many years. Two mothers awaiting their respective grown-up children were in floods of joyful tears when the pair emerged from the flight as partners, and one mother’s sister arrived from Melbourne to a huge welcome after she’d said she’d not be home for the celebrations.

Another Donegal man was met by his friend, who’d just agreed to be best man at his mate’s wedding on New Year’s Eve. The bridegroom told reporters he was thrilled to be back in the home country for the first time in seven long years. He added his friend has arranged everything for the wedding and his bride is due the very next day. Tears of joy and a Christmas to remember during many more years of separation.